December 04, 2012

Construction of first phase of Southgate development could begin this summer, DFW Airport says

Construction on a new Hyatt Place hotel, four restaurant/retail sites and a headquarters building for Dallas/Fort Worth Airport could begin as early as next summer.

The airport board's concessions committee approved a request to develop 17 acres in the proposed Southgate Plaza, which is between the airport's frontage road and the rental car center near DFW's south entrance. An additional 12 acres will be set aside for future development proposals in the plaza.

The first phase will include a new 137-room Hyatt Place hotel and a headquarters building to consolidate airport staff into one campus. There will also be a parking garage for 430 employees and a new facility for the United States Postal Service, which will relocate from its current building on the west side of the airport.

DFW expects to spend $92.1 million for the first phase of the project. The costs include:

$14.7 million for site development

$21 million for the Hyatt Place

$2.2 million for the postal service

$49.2 million for the headquarters

The mixed-use development was first discussed in 2007, but the airport pulled back plans during the recession. This past summer, airport staff unveiled a new development plan for Southgate that included a headquarters building for DFW Airport.